Ted Baker reopens Tokyo flagship, bows two concessions

(Author : retail in asia)Affordable luxury brand Ted Baker has opened its newly renovated Tokyo flagship store, as well as two new shop-in-shops within prominent department stores.

Located in the Japanese capital’s hip Omotesando district, the newly developed Ted Baker store has moved into a 4,500 square foot space. Previously the home of Marc Jacobs, the outfit spans three floors and houses the British brand’s latest fashion and accessories offerings, including a men’s bomber jacket and a women’s lace jacquard dress, designed specifically for the Tokyo store. The boutique sits just off its former flagship spot, which it opened in 2012, before closing it for renovations last October.

The redesign, which boasts wall panels inspired by computer circuit boards, technical blueprints, steel and brass, marks a significant retail shuffle in Asia for Ted Baker, in which the fashion chain hopes to present British style that is inline with Japanese taste.

“We have been expanding our business in Asia over recent years, particularly in Japan,” Ray Kelvin, the founder and chief executive officer of Ted Baker, told WWD. “Our team have been proactively promoting the brand and raising awareness through multiple pop-up locations in Tokyo.”

In mid-February, Ted Baker also opened a corner at the Takashimaya department store in Nagoya, and a corner at the Marui City department store in Yokohama just two weeks later. “We will continue develop on the success in Japan, and we’re always on the lookout for new opportunities,” he said. “We’re cautious, thorough, and it has to be right.”

Which is why the fashion chain has no plans to launch a Japan-dedicated platform in the near future, said Kelvin. Currently, Ted Baker is only available online in Japan through the multi-brand site Zozotown.

The UK-based Ted Baker saw holiday sales rise 17.9% over the eight weeks to January 7. Ted Baker cited a surge in e-commerce sales, both domestically and abroad, for the gains, with e-tail sales up 35%.